The right breed for you?

The Cavachon came about by crossing two pedigree dogs namely the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with the Bichon Frise. These little dogs were first developed in the USA but quickly became extremely popular in other areas of the world, including here in the UK thanks to their adorable looks and gentle charming natures.

Being a cross breed Cavachon’s are not recognised as a breed in their own right. However, breed clubs have now been established in many countries and so these delightful dogs are responsibly bred. by many Professional and hobby breeders alike.

Breed Characteristics

Size

Small (4/10)

Exercise

High (8/10)

Training

Very Easy (8/10)

Shedding

Low (4/10)

Grooming

High (8/10)

Around Children

Very Good (10/10)

Health

Average (6/10)

Cost to Keep

Low (3/10)

Being Alone

Short periods (2/10)

Intelligence

Average (6/10)

History

The breed was first developed in the States with the first Cavachon appearing on the scene in around 1996 when two pure breeds were crossed, namely the Bichon Frise and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The result was a delightful, gentle and charming looking little dog that inherited many of their parent breeds’ characteristics. For the moment, they are classed as “designer dogs”.

Cavachon puppies are considered as being “low shedders” which means anyone suffering from allergies may not be quite as affected when they come into contact or live with a Cavachon, although it tends to be the dander a dog sheds that is usually triggers allergies in people. With these advantages, the Cavachon has become a very popular choice both as a companion dog and as a family pet.

Temperament

When it comes to temperament, the Cavachon boasts having a gentle, affectionate and kind nature. They thrive on human company although they enjoy being around other dogs and pets as well. They have become known as real lap dogs never turning down an invitation to cuddle up with an owner whenever they can.

Cavachon’s form very strong bonds with their families and love nothing more than to be involved in everything that goes on with their family. They adore playing interactive games because of they boast being fun-loving, bouncy characters by nature with the added bonus being they have inherited the intelligence of both parent breeds which makes them easy to train. They are also very aware of their environments and will quickly let an owner know when there are strangers around.

Cavachon’s are a great choice for first time owners thanks to the fact they are intelligent little dogs and they love nothing more than to please which means they are easy to train and a joy to have around. They are a good choice for families where one person usually stays at home when everyone else is out of the house which helps prevent a Cavachon from getting bored and developing separation anxiety.

Appearance

Cavachon’s are small dogs that boast extra fluffy, thick coats which can be quite wavy or curly. They have inherited many of their physical traits from their parent breeds, being the Bichon Frisee and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The cross is a kind and gentle delightful dog with extremely expressive eyes and a cute face. Although small in stature, these little dogs have an athletic look about them. They have the long, floppy ears of the Cavalier and they have inherited their medium to long silky, soft coat from both parent breeds.

Every Cavachon is slightly different with the one consistency being in their coats, its texture and colour. Bichons have lovely white coats and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels boast having gorgeous coats that can either be white and tan or white and apricot, they can be a rich ruby red, a beautiful blenheim colour or they can have tri-coloured coats. As a result, Cavachon’s can be many different colours which includes the following: White with Black, Apricot or Tan markings, Brown, Red, Tricolour.

When it comes to coat texture, this too can vary quite a bit with some dogs having straight hair whereas other dogs might have wavy to quite curly coats. However, their coats grow very quickly in the first few months of their lives which means puppies need to be brushed frequently and gently to keep things tidy to prevent any matts and tangles from forming. If a dog’s coat is going to be curly or wavy, this usually happens when they lose their puppy coats and their permanent ones grow through which is typically when they are around 4 to 6 months old.

Cavachon’s are compact, nicely proportioned little dogs that boast short, strong front legs and nicely rounded bodies with level backs. There hindquarters are compact with dogs having bushy tails that they carry hanging down when relaxed, but raised when excited or alert. They have lovely, large, round and very expressive eyes, a trait that adds to their adorable looks. Their feet are quite large for such small dogs with nice, firm pads and strong nails.

Children and Other Pets

Cavachon’s are known to be good around children and they like nothing more than to play interactive games with them. However, because they are such small dogs, children have to be taught how to behave and how to handle them to prevent them from injuring or scaring these little dogs easily. We at Little Rascals Pets would always say that any interaction between dogs and children should be well supervised by an adult to make sure playtime does not get too boisterous.

Cavachon’s are social dogs by nature and as such they usually get on well with other dogs. They are also known to be good around cats they have grown up with in a household and will usually be nice towards other pets although care should always be taken when they are together just to be on the safe side.

Health

The average life expectancy of a Cavachon is between 9 and 13 years when properly cared for and fed an appropriate good quality diet to suit their ages. Like so many other breeds, the Cavachon can suffer from a few hereditary health issues that from time to time affect their parent breeds. These can be: Excessive Tear Production, Ear Infections, Skin Issues, Sensitivity to Fleas and Other Biting Parasites, Heart Issues.

Intelligence / Trainability

Cavachon’s are intelligent and they pick up new things very quickly, training a Cavachon is usually a fun, enjoyable experience because they are so receptive when it comes to staying focused on a person they have formed a strong bond with. These little dogs thrive on getting things “right” and love nothing more than receiving as much praise and love from their owners as possible when they do.

They respond very well to positive reinforcement training; being so smart and sensitive by nature, Cavachon’s do not answer well to any sort of harsh correction or heavy-handed training methods which could end up with one of these little dogs becoming shy, retiring and timid.

However, puppies and young Cavachon’s must be well socialised once they have been fully vaccinated which might involve introducing them to as many new situations as possible, strange noises, people, other animals and other pets. This helps them to mature into well-rounded, confident adult dogs. Some Cavachon’s have proved difficult to housetrain, but with patience, perseverance and a lot of understanding they can be taught to do their “business” outside, it might just take a little longer than with some other breeds.

Grooming

When a puppy starts to lose their fluffy puppy coat and their adult coat starts grows through, they are quite high maintenance when it comes to keeping things tidy and looking good. Cavachon’s are considered to be a “low shedding” cross breed; but this does not mean their coats don’t need to be frequently and regularly brushed. Because some dogs suffer from tear staining quite badly, it’s also important to keep their eyes nice and clean by regularly wiping them with a damp, soft cloth if needed.

If you want a beautiful Cavachon puppy they will need to be professionally groomed or trimmed about every 8 weeks. Therefore, it’s important to introduce a Cavachon puppy to all the tools needed to groom them and to make a grooming session an enjoyable experience so that dogs look forward to being brushed.

Older dogs usually enjoy the one-to-one attention they get when they are being brushed and it strengthens the bond they form with their owners. It’s also important to note that puppies shed more when they start to lose their puppy coats which is the best time to get them used to having their ears, paws and other parts of their bodies checked and taken care of.

It’s also important to check your dog’s ears on a regular basis and to clean them when necessary.

Caring for a Cavachon

As with any other breed, Cavachon’s need to be groomed on a regular basis to make sure their coats and skin are kept in top condition. They also need to be given regular daily exercise to ensure they remain fit and healthy. On top of this, dogs need to be fed good quality food that meets all their nutritional needs throughout their lives. We at Little rascals recommend Royal Canin Mini Junior which can be an ideal lifelong feed for your Cavachon puppy.

Feeding

If you come to buy your Cavachon puppy from Little Rascals Pets we will give you a feeding schedule and it’s important to stick to the same routine to avoid any tummy upsets. You can change a puppy’s diet, but this needs to be done very gradually. Always make sure they don’t develop any digestive upsets and if they do, it’s best to put them back on their original diet and to discuss things with us at Little Rascals and your vet before attempting to change it again.

The older dogs are not known to be fussy or finicky eaters. It’s best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it’s good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements. Cavachon’s are known to prefer smaller meals being sporadic eaters. So, they benefit from having a small quantity of food available all day.

It’s also important that dogs be given the right amount of exercise so they burn off any excess calories or they might gain too much weight which can lead to all sorts of health issues in later life.

Exercise

Cavachon’s have lots energy. They are very playful and fun-loving by nature which makes them such a pleasure to have around. They need to be given at least 30 minutes exercise every day and they also need a lot of mental stimulation because they are such smart characters. They are highly adaptable little dogs that are just at home living in an apartment in town as they are living in a house in the country, but they do need to be kept busy both mentally and physically for them to be truly happy little dogs.

These dogs also like to be able to roam around a back garden as often as possible so they can really let off steam. It’s also important to make sure a Cavachon does not get cold during the chillier winter months, because they really do feel the cold.

In the early days Cavachon puppies should not be over exercised because their joints and bones are still growing and too much pressure on them could result in causing a dog a few problems later on in their lives. They should not be allowed to jump up or off furniture nor should they be allowed to run up and down the stairs too much for these same reasons.

Average cost to keep/care for a Cavachon puppy

If you are looking to buy a Cavachon, you would need to pay anything from £375 to £1000 for a well-bred, healthy puppy. The cost of insuring a male 3-year-old Cavachon in England can be £18 a month for basic cover or for a lifetime policy £41 a month (quote as of June 2016). When insurance companies calculate a pet’s premium, they factor in several things which includes where you live in the UK and a dog’s age and whether or not they have been neutered or spayed.

When it comes to food costs, you need to buy the best quality food whether wet or dry, to feed your dog throughout their lives making sure it suits the different stages of their lives. This will set you back between £30 – £40 a month.

You will also need to factor in veterinary costs including their second vaccinations, their annual boosters, the cost of neutering or spaying your dog when the time is right (if required) and their yearly health checks.

As a rough guide, the average cost to keep and care for a Cavachon would be between £50 to £80 a month depending on the level of insurance cover you opt to buy for your dog.